New Astro City Cab

[cobrakai22]

Got the cab off craigslist, was in need of some TLC. Here is what it looked like when I first got it:


After sanding, painting, clear coating, New CP, New Artwork, Jpac installed with mame.... I Have:

[Franco B]

Nice. Looks 1000x time better! 

What the hell was going on with the miss matched controls previously? 

Happ controls on a candy cab is just sacrilege! 

[shamelessplug]
If you want a nice shiny marquee holder for it I sell repro ones [here].
[/shamelessplug]

[cobrakai22]

Actually I have been eyeing your post. I want one really bad lol. I was hoping to find someone to go halfs with me so I didnt get killed with shipping but we will see. I am super interested so you will prolly be receiving an order from me sooner than later.

[Franco B]

Yeah its a shame shipping is the same price as the holders themselves.  I don't make anything off shipping though and they are the cheapest prices I could find.

Like you said its not too bad if you can find someone to split the shipping with you.

Give me a shout when you are ready 

[javeryh]

Wow - sick job.  I love these things and you sure brought that one back form the dead.   

[ammitz]

Beautifull job

[ninjasquirrel]

Nice work...looks MUCH better

[apfelanni]

why renature the bezel and the speaker plastic and keep the rest black ? hm .. i would have painted it all glossy black or maybe red or red+black or blue+ white .. this doesnt really match . 

[cobrakai22]

Basically  I just flipped the original color scheme. I did light colored bezel with dark body. Also for me the color scheme works perfect with the other aspects of the cab like the CP and new astro artwork which are black/dark grey/pink/green/yellow. I really couldn't see it any other color for the main body besides black/grey/white if you are sticking with the stock control panel.

[SpaceHedgehog]

Very nice cobrakai. Noticed it on shoryuken in your games corner.

-ericleroi 

[opt2not]

why renature the bezel and the speaker plastic and keep the rest black ? hm .. i would have painted it all glossy black or maybe red or red+black or blue+ white .. this doesnt really match . 

apfelanni, his control panel has aspects of grey in it, so yes it does match.

You made the right choice cobrakai, I really like the colour scheme you've chosen. The only thing I would have changed is the bottom front panel, I would have continued the grey colours down there to go with the top. Perhaps just the panel doors.

But that's just me being picky.

Overall, awesome renovation!   

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

It's still black... also, white bezel and black body? Nah I don't know... I prefer my Candy cabs the traditional way. 

[notanoob81]

It's still black... also, white bezel and black body? Nah I don't know... I prefer my Candy cabs the traditional way. 

I agree but, it is an improvement.

[Lucky S.O.B.]

I have some questions if you don't mind... since most people don't talk about restoring candy cabs. I recently picked up a cab that needs some serious TLC.

- Can you tell me the process you went through to sand and paint the cab so it doesn't looked sratched?

- How did you paint it? Most decent paint jobs I have seen used a car paint sprayer...

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

I have some questions if you don't mind... since most people don't talk about restoring candy cabs. I recently picked up a cab that needs some serious TLC.

- Can you tell me the process you went through to sand and paint the cab so it doesn't looked sratched?

- How did you paint it? Most decent paint jobs I have seen used a car paint sprayer...

You probably already know arcade otaku, but in case you don't... check it out. Lots of knowledgeable folks around there.

[opt2not]

- Can you tell me the process you went through to sand and paint the cab so it doesn't looked sratched?

He most likely roughed up the surface with sandpaper, then primed it before painting.

- How did you paint it? Most decent paint jobs I have seen used a car paint sprayer...

I've been able to get a excellent look with just a thin high-quality paint roller, and sand-paper. I'm definitely going to go that route with my robotron restoration as well.

Use the search function here, there are a ton of project posts of people using rollers and sanding between coats that you can refer to.